Independent's i reports 133,472 sales

Alexander Lebedev's 20p daily, i, reported its first officially audited circulation figures in January, averaging 133,472 sales per day. The title experienced a tough time after launching on 26 October, in part due to the adverse weather in the runup to Christmas. However, a multimillion-pound marketing campaign launched in early January has helped to reinvigorate sales in the new year. Last month, i sold an average of 125,702 copies a day at full price, with a further 7,770 supplied as bulks to British Airways and BMI, according to official Audit Bureau of Circulations figures released today. According to the publisher , the full-price sales figures have continued to climb in February, to more than 160,000 a day. From Monday, i's distribution will be extended to all parts of Scotland, plus the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, which is expected to boost sales. Its stablemate the Independent reported a January circulation of 185,035, a 5.73% increase over December and a 0.42% year-on-year fall. The publisher is aiming to sell the Independent and i as a combined offering to media buyers, and hiking rates as a result of a larger circulation, with the sales team promising a total paid-for sale of 340,000. In January, the Independent had a paid-for circulation of 88,414, a small month-on-month rise. The combined paid-for circulation of the two titles is 214,126. "The fact that we have been able to grow the print category without cannibalising the Independent also clearly demonstrates that there is a significant untapped market for time-poor consumers who want to read a concise, quality newspaper," said Andrew Mullins, the managing director of the Independent and i. Last month, the Times experienced the most dramatic year-on-year sales decline among the national dailies, with circulation falling 10% to 457,250, a monthly increase of 1.96%. News International's Sun bounced back above the 3m mark, adding almost 300,000 copies with a month-on-month circulation increase of 10.48%. The Sun recorded a circulation of 3,001,822, a 0.16% year-on-year fall. The Daily Mail was the only daily national newspaper to record a year-on-year lift in circulation, up 0.77% to 2,316,568, which represented a 5.2% lift on January 2010. Following the seasonal sales dip in December, exacerbated by particularly bad weather, all national daily titles recorded a month-on-month sales boost, except the Financial Times. From 19 February, the price of the Daily Telegraph's Saturday edition will rise 10p to £1.90. Daily Telegraph Headline circulation: 651,184 Month-on-month change: +3.15% Year-on-year change: -5.78% Overseas: 20,167 The Times Headline circulation: 457,250 Month-on-month change: +1.96% Year-on-year change: -10.03% Overseas: 20,397 Financial Times Headline circulation: 383,067 Month-on-month change: -1.81% Year-on-year change: -1.86% UK and Ireland paid-for circulation: 79,627 (20.7% of total) Overseas: 270,739 The Guardian Headline circulation: 279,308 Month-on-month change: +5.47% Year-on-year change: -7.6% UK and Ireland paid-for circulation: 262,077 (93.8% of total) Overseas: 17,231 The Independent Headline circulation: 185,035 Month-on-month change: +5.73% Year-on-year change: -0.42% UK and Ireland paid-for circulation: 88,414 (47.7% of total) Overseas: 23,501 Daily Mail Headline circulation: 2,136,568 Month-on-month change: 5.20% Year-on-year change: 0.77% UK and Ireland paid-for circulation: 1,924,230 (90% of total) Overseas: 93,859 Daily Express Headline circulation: 639,875 Month-on-month change: +2.60% Year-on-year change: -5.15% Overseas: 27,943 The Sun Headline circulation: 3,001,822 Month-on-month change: +10.48% Year-on-year change: -0.16% Overseas: 27,907 Daily Mirror Headline circulation: 1,194,097 Month-on-month change: +5.35% Year-on-year change: -2.00% Overseas: 31,801 Daily Star Headline circulation: 734,311 Month-on-month change: +2.90% Year-on-year change: -5.78% Overseas: 10,325 Headline circulation includes lesser rate sales, subscriptions, bulks – copies sold to airlines, rail companies, hotels and gyms for a nominal fee and given free to the public – and distribution in Ireland and overseas. UK and Ireland paid-for circulation excludes bulks and overseas distribution; where this figure is not given, bulks and overseas distribution account for less than 5% of total circulation • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email [email protected] or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. • If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".